STAYING IN IS THE NEW WORKING OUT
Ready for a challenge? MARION MCMULLEN looks at 10 ways to get super-fit during lockdown
THE 30-day squat challenge is a great way to tone up the backside. Celebrity trainer Joe Wicks has even been doing squats with his little daughter India during his popular online fitness sessions. The challenge is one of the best ways to build muscle and blast fat from the area – plus, it is a killer calorie burn. Set aside 10 minutes a day to see how many squats you can get through, and slowly increase your reps as the days go on.
THE seven-minute workout challenge is a body weight routine which has been found to be the most efficient way to burn fat and stay fit and healthy. There are many seven-minute workout apps, all centred around the same basic rule: perform 12 exercises for 30 seconds each, with 10 seconds of rest in between, totalling seven minutes.
EX-MARINE George Hood, 62, smashed the world record for doing the plank earlier this year, holding the position for more than eight hours. If you are a beginner start by holding for 20 seconds and gradually increase the time each day. TV’S Gregg Wallace (above) has been planking at home during lockdown as part of a six-week fitness course with the Sunday Mirror.
IF YOU are new to fitness and want to set yourself a goal, Couch to 5K is a great place to start. The free app is designed to get you off the settee and running 5km within just nine weeks, by building a schedule of three runs per week with a rest day in between. It has virtual coaches to keep you moving, plus a timer so you know how long you’ve been out of the house.
WANT to get down in lockdown? The 30-day split challenge involves deeply stretching your hip flexors and hamstrings every morning, so you can gradually decrease the space between your inner thighs and floor. There are lots of different 30-day stretching tutorial videos online, plus you can find progress diaries from other users to help keep you motivated.
HOLLYWOOD stars Jake Gyllenhaal (below) and Tom Holland caused a stir by taking part in a shirtless handstand challenge online. If you want to get fit during lockdown then a six-week handstand challenge could help. There are lots of variations online, including the 12-Minute Athlete (12minute athlete.com), which helps you build up to doing a freestanding handstand.
EXECUTING a pull-up is often seen as the ultimate barometer in fitness. The 10 pull-up challenge online promises to take you several steps further. Prepare to be transformed from a novice to a pull-up master in a matter of months, sculpting your arms, back and shoulders in the process.
THE 500 Bodyweight Challenge was started by Greg Brookes (gbpersonal training.com), a personal trainer who wanted to devise a series of 10 body weight exercises that you can do anywhere without any equipment. The 10 moves include push-ups, burpees, forward lunges and squat thrusts. The idea is that you do 50 repetitions of each one. The current record time for the entire workout is 11 minutes and 31 seconds.
IF YOU are lucky enough to have a home gym, now is a great time to work on your deadlifts. The deadlift challenge is about improving the weight that you are able to lift. Increase the weight by no more than 10% at a time to your routine to ensure your body stays challenged, and remember to only add weight if you are feeling ready for it.
YOGA requires patience and the only way to get better at it is to be consistent. Yoga With Adriene’s 30 Days Of Yoga Challenge (yogawith adriene.com) is a series of daily Youtube videos that will help with your strength, flexibility and breathing. All you need is a yoga mat and 15-30 minutes per day.